Clothes-clamp.



Patented Dec. 3|, 19m. w. A. HINES. I

CLOTHES CLAMP.

(Applicatio n filed Jan. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.)

642M, "Mid UNITED STAT S PATE T OFFICE.

\VILLIAM A. HINES, OF STAFFORD, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID \V. BLAINE, OF PRATT, KANSAS.

CLOTH Es-oLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0."690,286, dated December 31, 1901. Application filed January 28, 1901. Serial N0.45,0'70. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM A. IIINEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stafford, in the county of Statford and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an all-metal clamp for suspending clothes, fabrics, and the like from a line or other point and which can be used as a garment or hose support or as a clip for securing papers or any desired article.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof, and also to acquire a knowledge of the" details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

lVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp. Fig. 2 is an edge view showing the clamp suspended from a line and the slide moved so as to bring the terminals of the legs together. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, the slide being moved to bring the inner projection of one leg into contact with the other leg. Fig. 4 shows a slide moved to bring the inner projection of the opposite leg into contact with the opposing leg and the clamp binding the sides of the line, which it will do when weighted with the clothes or other article gripped thereby.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The clamp comprises legs or sides 1 and 2, connected at one end and normally standing apart at the opposite end. These legs 1 and 2 are preferably formed of a single strip of sheet metal folded upon itself at a middle point and having an eye 3 at the fold to receive the line 4 or other means fromwhich the clamp is suspended. The leg 1 has an inner extension 5, and the leg 2 is provided with a corresponding inner extension 6, and these. extensions are located at different distances from the extremities of the legs, so as not to aline transversely. The extensions 5 and 6 incline away from the terminals of the legs, whereby the best results are secured in retaining clothes or other articles gripped by the clamp. The extremities of the extensions 5 and 6 constitute engaging or gripping points. Inner projections 7 are provided at the extremities of the legs 1 and 2 and likewise form points of contact for gripping the article placed between the legs or sides 1 and 2. The gripping-points 5, 6, and 7 may be provided in any desired manner and are preferably formed by recurving or folding end portions of the strip or blank from which the clamp is formed. This 'mannerof providing the three sets of grippingpoints enables the latter to yield independently of the spring action of the legs or sides 1 and 2. Hence better action is derived when the clamp is in operation. The eye 3 is elongated lengthwise of the clamp. Hence the upper portion of its opposite sides converge in such a manner as to grip opposite sides of the line 4 when the clamp is weighted, as when clothes or articles are suspended thereby. When thus weighted, the clamp is held from movement upon the line 4, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 4, thereby preventing movement of the clothes along the line. When the clamp is relieved of weight or is lifted, it can be slid readily upon the line 4 to the desired position.

A slide 8 is mounted upon the clamp intermediate of the eye 3 and the jaws, and when moved upon the legs, toward the extremities thereof, the separated ends are brought together, so as to forcibly grip the clothes or articles placed between them. When the slide Sis moved upon the legs to the position shown in Fig. 2, the extremities 7 are brought together and a further movement of the slide brings the inner extension 6 into contact with the opposite leg, as indicated in Fig. 3, and a further movement of the slide brings the extension 5 into contact withthe leg 2.-

- From the foregoing it will be understood that the points of contact are successively brought into engagement as the slide 8 is ICO folded and their terminals abruptly bent to- Ward each other at different distances from the extremities of the legs, and a slide movable upon the legs between the eye and the bent terminals, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature I in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM A. HINES. Witnesses:

N. P. REID, D. C. MCKAY. 

